Method of toughening sheep casings



Patented June 21 1932 UNITED STATES? J N T.

DANIEL E. WELTS, or PASADENA, CALIFORNIA METHOD OF TOUGHENIN G SHEEP CASINGS N Drawing.

My invention relates to a method of toughenin sheep casings that are generally used as the jackets or containers of various chopped or ground meat products, for instance, sausages, bologna, salame, liverwurst, weinerwurst, Frankfurters and the like and the principal object of my invention is, to provide a relatively simple and easily practiced method whereby sheep casings may be,

in a comparatively short time and with comparatively little labor, rendered suficiently tough and of the proper color to meet the requirements of the packers of ground or chopped meat products and further, to provide a method or process of the character referred to, thatmay be practiced economically and which advantageous result is attained due to the fact that no special equi ment is required and the cost of materia s 2 used'is comparatively small.

In practicing my improved method, casings that have been cleaned in the usual manner by machinery or other methods, are placed in a vat or container that is filled or partially filled with liquid composed of practically pure water, to which suificient iodine is added to produce an amber color. After the water has been thus colored, a sufficient amount of anhydrous or aqua ammonia is render said water color.

A suflicient quantity of strong black liquid cofiee is now added to the water to turn same a dark brown. A

The casings are placed in the liquid and left to soak for approximately one hour, after which a sufficient amount of soap powderis added to the water to turn the same to a light brown color. I

About one and one-half hours after the soap powder has been addedto the bath the casings are taken out of the bath and manipulated or stripped through the hands in order to work the liquid thoroughly over all surfaces of the casin s and to-stretch the latter perfectly clear and without lengthwise and w ich latter action tends to prevent shrinkage of the casings.

After this hand manipulation, the casings are returned to the liquid and permitted to sired the coiiee added to the Water to clarify the same and Application filed July 1, 1931. Serial No. 548,260.

"soak'for another hour and a half and they are l again manipulated and stripped and this operation is repeated at one and one half hour intervals up to five hours and which includes about four manual operations.

After the fourth manual manipulation and stripping thecasings are taken from thebath and .thoroughlywashed in clean water and they are'now ready for use'or they may be salted-down and packed for storage.

After the casings have been processed as just described, they will-be found to besoft, pliable and with the desired degreeof toughness to meet the requirements of the packers of. chopped or ground meat products and further, the said casings have thegdesired lightbrown color. If white casings, are desolution.

ammoniaand soap are effective iii-toughening,

is eliminated from the liquid thefibers of the casings and the soap imparts to the casings the desired degree of pliability and enables the casings to be readily slipped} onto and off the horns chines.

The solution imparts no appreciable odor tothe casings and the quantities of iodine, ammonia, coffee and soap powder used in the solution are insufficient to in any way affect the chopped or ground meat products that fill the casings.

In repeated tests, experiments and practice of the casing filling ma- I have produced high grade casings that meet '7 all demands of the packers and the market by treating said casings in a solution composed of one gallon of water, to which has been added approximately one teaspoonful of iodine, approximately one-fourth pint of aqua ammonia'or five drops anhydrous ammonia, one pint strong black liquid coffee and two tablespoonfuls of soap powder. 7

These proportions of the ingredients added appreciably affecting the desired high qualities ofthe treated casings.

Thus it will be S6611 that r haveprovided' l to the water may bevaried slightly without 5 [same are-in the solution.

they will constitutea high grade marketable product that will meet all requirements of the producers and packers of chopped and ground meat products and the like. T I claim as my invention: o

1."The herein described method of tough ening'sheep casings which consists in treating said casings with a solution composed of water to which has been added relatively small amounts of iodine, ammonia and soap. 1 2. The method of tougheningsheep casings,;i which consists is treating the casings with a solution composed of water to which has been added relatively small quantities of iodine, ammonia, coffee and soap powder.

3. The herein-described method oftoughj 7 r I ening sheep casings, which consistsin soaking the casings in a-solution composed oi water, to which has been added relatively small amounts of iodine, ammonia, coffee and soap powder and eriodically manipulating and stripping said casings. 1 4. The herein described methodof tough- .ening sheep casings, which consists in soaking v the casings in a-solution composed of water to which has been added relatively small amounts of iodine, ammonia and soap powder and manipulating and stripping said cases during the-soaking period. K Y 3 5. The herein described method of toughening sheep casings which consists infsoaking the casingsin a solution composed of water 7 to which has been added iodine, ammonia and p soap and manipulating said casings while the v 6. The herein described method of" toughv enlng sheep cas1ngs,wh1ch consists in soaking the casings in a solution composed of water to gwhich-has been added iodine,ammonia, liquid 4 coffee and soap and manipulating and stripping said casings while the same are soaking 1 c in said solution. a v V a I V In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. I

, DANIEL E. WELTS. 

